Blog
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Best Practice Template
The aim of documenting best practices is to capture creative, effective, and innovative solutions to common challenges within the company. By systematically sharing these solutions, companies can promote Lean and continuous improvement, reduce waste, improve efficiency, and enhance overall operational performance. Best practices serve…
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Kanban Board: Driving Better Workflow Through Visual Thinking
Also Known as Activity Board, Task Board, and Agile Board. Related topics include Scrum Board, Production Control Board, Kanban Order Board, Workflow Board, and Scheduling Board. A Kanban board is a simple tool that helps people and teams track their work and see progress…
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Kanban: A Simple System for Smarter Production and Inventory Control
Also Known as Signal-Based Production System and Flow Control System. Related topics include Two-Bin System, Three-Bin System, Reorder Point System, Min–Max Inventory System, FIFO. Traditional production systems work on a push basis. Products are made according to a fixed schedule rather than real customer…
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Kaizen Event: Small Steps That Transform Workplaces
Also known as Kaizen Workshop, Kaizen Workout, Improvement Event, Kaizen Blitz, and Rapid Improvement Event. Related topics include Corrective Action Event, Quality Cycle, and Focus Group. What is a Kaizen Event? A Kaizen event is a short, focused activity where a team works together…
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Kaizen: Good Change Every Day
Also known as Kaizen Program, Good Change and Continuous Improvement. Kaizen is a Japanese idea that means making small, steady improvements every day. Instead of waiting for big changes, Kaizen focuses on fixing little things that add up to big results over time. This…
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Thinking Ahead: How FMEA Keeps Processes Safe
Also Known as Failure Analysis. Related topics include Risk Analysis, Failure Tree Analysis, Fault Tree Analysis, and reliability Analysis. FMEA, which stands for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, is a team-based method used to spot and prevent problems before they happen. It is a…
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Focus Group: A Tool for Collecting Valuable Feedback and Insights
Also known as Discussion Group, Advisory Group, and Exploratory Session. Related topics include Feedback Cycle, Panel Discussion, Brainstorming Session, and Quality Cycle. A focus group is a data collection method designed to gather opinions, preferences, insights, and ideas from a group of people on…
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Simplifying Data Collection and Quality Control with Check Sheets
Also known as Data Collection Sheet, Data Recording Form, and Tally Sheet. Related topics include Observation Form, Frequency Recording Form, and Measurement Log. A check sheet is a manual tool designed to collect and record data in real time, often at the location where…
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Designing and Using Questionnaires to Drive Business Decisions
Also known as Feedback Form, Inquiry Form, and Paper-and-Pencil Survey. Related topics include Survey, Poll, Test, and Application Form. A survey is a broad term that refers to the entire process of data collection to gather written or verbal information from a selected group…
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Decision Balance Sheet: Evaluating Pros and Cons for Better Decisions
Also known as Pros and Cons Analysis, Plus-Minus Analysis, Benefits and Drawbacks Analysis, Gains and Losses Analysis, For and Against List, and Decision T-Chart. Related topics include Risk-Benefit Analysis, Trade-Off Analysis, and Costs and Benefits Analysis. Sometimes, when management faces an important decision for…
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Mistake-Proofing: A Lean Approach to Error Prevention
Also known as Poka-Yoke, Error-Proofing, Fool-Proofing, Fail-Safing, and Error Prevention. Related topics include Andon Systems, FMEA, Jidoka, Baka-Yoke, and Quality at the Source. Mistake-proofing is a Lean technique that is used to prevent errors or reduce the chances of their occurrence in processes and…
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Interviews: A Fundamental Tool for Gathering Valuable Insights
Also known as Questioning. Related topics include Consultation, Dialogue, Investigation, Inquisition. An interview is a common technique designed to draw out information from individuals or groups by engaging them in direct conversations, asking relevant questions, and recording the responses. Typically, interviews are conducted between…
